About:
Dr. Zuckerman has a doctorate in clinical psychology and post-doctoral training in epidemiology and public health. After starting her career on the faculty at Vassar and Yale, and as director of a research project at Harvard, she shifted to a policy career in 1983, working in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House. As the founding president of the National Research Center for Women & Families, she focuses on federal policies that can improve the health and safety of women, children and families. The Center works with researchers and policy makers to bridge the gap between scientific research and public policy on health and safety issues such as the long-term safety of medical products, informed consent, and improving the quality and reducing disparities in medical care. Dr. Zuckerman is the co-author of four books and dozens of articles in psychology journals, medical journals, other scholarly publications, and national newspapers. She is widely quoted on women’s and children’s health issues and federal health policy issues on TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers.

Zuckerman, D.M., Kasl, S., & Ostfeld, A. (1984). Psychological predictors of mortality among the elderly poor: The role of religion, well-being, and social contacts. American Journal of Epidemiology, 119, 410-423.

Zuckerman, D.M. (1985). Confidence and aspirations: Self-esteem and self-concepts as predictors of life goals. Journal of Personality, 53, 543-560.

Is Military Research Hazardous to Veterans' Health?: Lessons Spanning Half a Century. Congressional Staff Report, 1994.

Opinion Articles in National Publications:
Dr. Zuckerman’s op-eds have been published in Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Detroit Free Press, San Jose Mercury News, Charlotte Observer, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Courier News (NJ), Washington Times, and numerous other newspapers, and been distributed on the LA Times-Washington Post news wire and the Knight-Ridder news wire. From 1999 through 2004, she published a monthly column, Research Watch, in Youth Today, a national newspaper.

A sample of recent op-ed publications include:
“Will Social Security be Derailed?” published in August 2000 by the (IA) Telegraph Herald

“What the FDA Should Learn From the RU-486 Marathon” published in October 2000 by The Washington Post

“Social Security: Safe Harbor in a Stormy Economy” published in April 2001 by Knight-Ridder

“Welfare Reform Needs Reform” published in August and September 2001 in the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune

“Claims of 'safer' cigarettes must be subjected to FDA scrutiny” published in December 2001 in the Charlotte Observer and the Lexington Herald Leader

“Do Breast Implants Increase Health Risks?” published in April 2002 in Physician's Weekly

“Is Drug Safety Being Enron'd?” published in May 2002 in the Detroit Free Press, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, the (Charleston, WV) Gazette-Mail, and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“The Bad News About New Drugs Comes Very Late” published in July 2002 in The Sacramento Bee and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“Public Needs FDA to Improve Watchdog Policies on Drugs” published in July 2002 in the Detroit Free Press and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“Finding Relief for Working Moms” published in September 2002 by the New York Times syndicate

“Hype in Health Reporting” published in September/October issue of Extra! Magazine.

“Dangerous Laxity on Medical Implant Safety” published in October 2002 in the Los Angeles Times

“Taking Beauty Standards to Extremes” published in January 2003 in the Tallahassee Democrat and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“A Split Decision on Breast Implants” published in October 2003 in The Washington Times

“Do We Need to Give Up Tuna?” published in December 2003 by Knight-Ridder newswire.

“The Movies, Cigarettes, and our Children,” published in July 2004 in the Biloxi (MS) Sun Herald, The Record (Hackensack, NJ), Lexington Herald Leader, and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“Be all you can be—in a C-Cup?” published in August 2004 in the Houston Chronicle, Tulsa World and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“No Supersizing This Year!” published in September 2004 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Los Angeles Daily News, The (Fredericksburg, VA) Free Lance Star, the Peoria (IL) Journal Star, and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“FDA Needs to Think Long-Term” published in December 2004 in the Albany Times-Union, Lexington Herald-Leader, The Miami Herald, el Nuevo (Miami) Herald and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“New Year’s Resolutions for the U.S.” published in January 2005 in The Sacramento Bee, Duluth News-Tribune, Augusta (GA) Chronicle, Watertown (NY) Daily Times and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“Bad Year for the FDA” published in May 2005 in the Duluth News Tribune, Tulsa World, and other Knight Ridder newspapers

”Safe Enough?” published in August 2005 in The Washington Times

“Safe Enough for Political Use?” published in September 2005 in Houston Chronicle, Miami Herald, and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“Shopping for Children has Become a Risky Proposition” published in November and December 2005 in the San Jose Mercury News, Austin American-Statesman, Duluth News Tribune, Whittier (CA) Daily News and other Knight Ridder newspapers

“There's No Such Thing as Free Viagra” published in January 2006 in the Salt Lake Tribune, Hartford Courant, Salt Lake Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Press of Atlantic City and other Knight Ridder newspapers

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Last updated: 09/23/2009
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